Sea mine



Aug. 14, 1923. 1,465,232

M. C. A. H. PAPE SEA Mmjn.1

Filed Sept. 30 1920 2;?, Ven fir: y

Patented Aug. 14, 1923.

Y CARL AUQUSTHERMANNPAPE, or NEUIvIUHLEN-nnrnrcnsnons, NEAR KIEL,

' GERMANY, AssrsNon To THE BURQ-GERMANX.

FIRM.CARBCNIT-AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF HAM- snA MINE.

Aiipneation fiieayseptmber ao, 1920.Y serial No. 413,881.

- j (GRANTED uNmEn'jrus rnovIsIoNs or THE ACT or Manen a, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 13.13.)

Y specification.

This invention relates to sea ruines ,of that type in which the ves'sellis'oblong or fishshaped so that it adjusts its head in the d1e rection of thev current. Minesof this type present, in comparison with the Apear-shaped or spherical mines, the advantage that they oppose much' Vless resistance to the water than mines of the latter types. Y

This advantage is however more or less Y -lost owing to theV fact that the mines when submerged adopt a more orv less inclinedl position according to thecurrent and to the angle of inclination of the anchor cable, the mine presenting thus a much larger surface of attack for the current, said surface of attack corresponding with the projection Eupon a plane which stands vertical to the direction of the current.

In order to prevent the inclined position of the mine it has been proposed to arrange the anchor cable so that it is attached to the mine in front of the middle of its length, rigid steering fins being arranged at the rear end of the mine.

- It has however been shown, that owing to these 'rigid fins designed to maintain the resistance is opposed to the water wherefrom results that mines of this type are undershot more than mines without such fins.

This invention has for its purpose to do away with these steering fins and to ensure the horizontal position of the mine in asimple but reliable manner through placing the center of gravity of the mine so far behind the middle of its length that a turning moment is produced which eie'cts a horizontal adjusting of the mine in the direclprising an oblong mine vessel in which the tion of thelongitudinal axis through the buoyancy of the mine when the same is beinganchored. g v

`Theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which-- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the mine illustratingthe position which it Aaissumes whenfloating. i

f Fig. 2 illustrates the when it is'submerged.

The mine vessel is designated by the reference numeral 1 and it is provided at its rear end with fins 2 for steering inv a horizontal direction. It is seenl that the mine vessel is oblong and the addition of the fins gives it the general shape of a fish. Towards its front the mine vessel has attached thereto a hook 3 or a similar device to which anchoring cable l may be attached. Y In this mine of improved construction the centre of gravity of the mine is displaced, through correspondingly distributing the weight, so far towards the rear end that the longitudinal axis of the mine adopts in the position of the mine floating posit-ion upon the surface of thewater a position which is inclined with regard to said surface (Fig. 1), the point at which the cable is attached being situated in proximity of the head.

In considering the buoyancy of the mine and the position of the centre ot gravity of the same the position of the point at Which the anchor cable is attached has been determined through simple calculation or by tests so that the mine adopts under water an exactly horizontal position 2), as the turning moment produced by the holding force of the cable has been made so great that the mine when submerging is turned for the same angle for which its longitudinal ,axis deviates from the horizontal when the mine is in the Heating position upon the surface of the water.

A mine of this construction opposes constantly the smallest resistance against the current and remains perfectly balanced and at rest even in a very strong current. The ns shown serve merely for steering in horizontal directionV and may be suppressed.

I claim 1. A sea mine of the class described, com- Vload is so distributed that the center of gravity is rearwardv of the center of the longitudinal axis of the Vessel so that they mine when floating tends to assume a position suoli that its longitudinal axis is inclined ina vertical' plane, and means carried by the end of saidyesselg Whichv is g'forward of thecenter of its longitudinalv axis, to which' an anchoring cable can be attached,

said means being so located With respect to the center of gravity ofthe mine that the drag of the'an'choring' cable causes the mine ing'cable can be attached, said-means being so located With respect to the center of gravity of the mine that the drag ofjthe anchoring cable causes the mine when submerged to assume a positionxwith its longitudinal axis substantially horizontal.V i

3. A sea mine of the class described, comorisino' an oblong mine vessel havinfr a cenl j D D trawl substantially cylindrical-portion, a-substantially lcone-sliafped rear end- `andlr a substantially semi-spherical frontend,the load in said vessel being so distributed that the center of gravity i's rearward of the center ofthe longitudinal'arxi's of the vessel so that V the mine whenY ioating tends to assume aV position such that its longitudinal axisV is inclined in a Vertical plane, Vand meansV carried by said vessel forwardly of the center of its long itudinalaxis to Which an anchoring cable can be attached, said means `being so located with respect to the center ot gravity of the mine that the drag of the anchoring cable causes the mine When submerged to assume a position With its longitudinal axis substantially horizontal. Y

In testimony whereofv I aflix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.V

Y MAX CARL AUGUST'HERMNN PAPE.

Witnesses:

HUBER LAMBRECHS, HANS GLINDMEJER. 

